Firearm having disconnectable sections



Oct. l5, 1968 J. KoucKY E'r Ax.

FIREARM HAVING DISCONNECTABLE SECTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 23, Y1967 INVENTORS: Josef KOUC KY Fromhsek KOUCKY MM2 (9. /uw

fheir Ahorney Oct. 15, 1968 J. KOUCKY ET Al- FIREARM HAVINGDISCONNECTABLE SECTIONS Filed May 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ:Josef KOUCKY Franlsek KOUCKY United States Patent O 3,405,471 FIREARMHAVING DISCONNECTABLE SECTIONS Josef Koucky and Frantisek Koucky,Prague, Czechoslovakia, assignors to Zavody Jana Svermy, narodni podnik,Brno, Czechoslovakia, a corporation Filed May 23, 1967, Ser. No. 640,699Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia, May 24, 1966, 3,486/66 3Claims. (Cl. 42-75) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A firearm which has aforward barrel and receiver section and a -rear trigger and stocksection which are capable of being removably connected to each other.The forward barrel and receiver section has a rear receiver housing inwhich a breech bolt assembly is movably located. A side wall of thereceiver housing is formed with an opening which is aligned with arecess which is formed in a side surface of the breech bolt assembly,and a catch lever is rockably supported by an exterior side surface ofthe receiver housing and has a catch projection which extends throughthe opening in the side wall of the receiver housing into the recess ofthe breech -bolt assembly to maintain the latter assembled with thereceiver when the sections of the firearm are disconnected from eachother. A spring urges the lever to turn in a direction which displacesits catch lug into the recess of the breech bolt assembly, and therockable lever has, when the sections are disconnected, an elongated armextending angularly from an exterior side surface of the receiverhousing. The operator can at anytime press this elongated arm of thelever to displace the catch lug out of the recess of the breech boltassembly so that the breech bolt assembly can be disassembled from thereceiver housing whenever desired. The trigger and stock assembly has aforward trigger portion which when it is assembled with the barrel andreceiver section engages the lever and displaces it in opposition t thespring to a position where its catch lug is situated out of the recessof the breech bolt assembly so that the latter is free to move withrespect to the receiver housing in which it is located.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to firearms.

the like used for hunting and sporting purposes and especially tofirearms of this type which are composed of sections which can beconnected to and disconnected from each other. Thus, by disconnectingthe sections of the firearm from each other, they can be convenientlycarried about in a suitable bag or the like, and customarily the firearmwill have a pair of sections which can be removably connected to eachother. One of these sections is the barrel and receiver section, thissection having a rear receiver housing at the rear end of the barrelaccommodating in its interior a movable breech bolt assembly. The othersection is a trigger and stock section having at its forward end thetrigger mechanism and at its rear end the rifle stock which extendsrearwardly from the trigger mechanism.

With firearms of this type, when the above sections thereof areseparated from each other, the breech bolt mechanism in the receiverhousing simply rests loosely in the latter and can easily fall out. Thisbreech bolt mechanism is retained in the receiver housing by the triggermechanism when the sections of the firearm are connected to each other.Moreover, when the sections of Patented Oct. 15, 1968 TCC the firearmare separated from each other and carried in a suitable holster or thelike, the breech bolt mechanism is not fixed and can easily move about,striking against the receiver housing and creating noise within theholster, with the result that it does not infrequently happen that therecoil spring stops operating properly on the breech bolt mechanism.

Summary of the invention It is a primary object of the present inventionto provide a structure which will avoid the above drawbacks.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide afirearm having removable sections of the above type while at the sametime capable of reliably maintaining the breech bolt mechanism connectedwith the receiver housing in a manner preventing movement of the breechbolt mechanism with respect to the receiver housing when the sections ofthe firearm are disconnected from each other.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide aconstruction which will enable the breech bolt mechanism to be removedfrom the receiver housing when the operator so desires, after thesections of the firearm are separated from each other.

At the same time, it is an object of the present invention to provide aconstruction which, when the sections of the firearm are reassembled,will reliably place the breech bolt mechanism in a condition where it isfree to move and operate properly within the receiver housing.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a constructionwhich is exceedingly simple and inexpensive while at the same timecapable of reliably achieving the above objects.

Thus, the advantages of the structure of the invention resides in thesimplicity of its construction, the arrangement being such that unlessthe operator is aware of it, the breech bolt mechanism is automaticallyprevented from falling out of the receiver housing. At the same time, ifnecessary, it is possible by a simple manipulation to release the breechbolt mechanism for movement out of the receiver housing.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention the firearm has a forwardbarrel and receiver section and a rear trigger and stock section whichare removably connected to each other, and the forward barrel andreceiver section has at its rear end a receiver housing in which abreech bolt mechanism is freely movable, This receiver housing has aside wall formed with an opening passing therethrough and a side surfaceof the breech bolt mechanism is formed with a recess aligned with theopening in the side wall of the receiver housing. This side wall of thereceiver housing rockably carries at its exterior a catch lever having acatch lug which extends through the opening in the side wall of thereceiver housing so that this lug can extend into the recess of thebreech bolt mechanism to lock the latter in the receiver housing whenthe sections of the firearm are separated from each other. A springcoacts with the lever to urge the catch lug thereof into the recess ofthe breech bolt mechanism but the trigger portion of the rear triggerand stock section has a forward part which engages the catch lever todisplace it in opposition to the spring to a location where the catchlug is situated outwardly beyond the recess of the breech boltmechanism, so that when the sections of the firearm are connected toeach other the breech bolt mechanism is free to move within the receiverhousing. Thus, when the sections are disconnected from each other thecatch lever will reliably hold the breech bolt mechanism in the receiverhousing, and when the parts are in this position the catch lever has anelongated arm projecting angularly from an exterior surface of thereceiver housing and capable of being pushed by the operator so that theoperator can manually turn the catch lever in opposition t the spring toa location where the catch lug is out of the recess of the breech boltmechanism enabling the latter to be disassembled from the receiverhousing whenever desired.

Brief description of the drawings The invention is illustrated by way ofexample lin connection with the accompanying drawings which form part ofthis application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic fragmentary side elevation showing the sections ofa firearm connected to each other and also showing the structure of theinvention as it appears from the exterior of the firearm;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic side elevation of the breech boltmechanism by itself;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional plan view showing thestructure of the invention in the position it takes when the sections ofthe firearm are connected to each other;

FIG. 4 shows the position which the parts of FIG. 3 take when thesections of the firearm are disconnected from each other; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic transverse section taken along line 5 5 of FIG. 1and showing how the catch mechanism of the invention is assembled withthe remainder of the components.

Description of preferred embodiments Referring now to the drawings, FIG.1 shows the rear portion of the barrel and receiver section and thefront portion of the trigger and stock section of a rifle which may havethese sections removably connected to each other by way of a bolt orfastening screw 15. The forward barrel and receiver section has a rearreceiver housing 2 (FIG. 5) which carries at one of its sides the catchlever 1 which forms part of the structure of the invention, This catchlever 1 is situated at a side of the breech bolt mechanism 3 opposite aguide rib 4 which forms part of the trigger mechanism 5, as indicated inFIG. 5. The mechanism of the invention includes a spring means 6 in theform of an elongated leaf spring fixed by a screw 7 to an exterior sidesurface of the receiver housing 2, and this leaf spring 6 has its rightfree end portion, as viewed in FIGS. l, 3, and 4, a notch or slotextending inwardly from the right end of the leaf spring and receiving ahorizontal rib portion 9 of the catch lever 1. Thus, the spring 6 has apair of free arms between which the rib 9 is located and, these armspress against the lever 1 s0 as to urge it to its locking position shownin FIG. 4.

The catch lever 1 is in the form of a two-armed lever, having oneelongated arm 8 which is adapted to be er1- gaged 4by the operator andhaving at its other arm the rib 9 and the catch lug 10 which extendsthrough an opening 12 which is formed in a side wall of the receiverhousing 2. This opening 12 is aligned with a recess 13 which is formedin a side Surface of the breech bolt mechanism 3, and when the breechbolt mechanism 3 is in rest position, the breech bolt mechanism 3 beingat its forward end position at this time, the recess 13 of the breechbolt mechanism is aligned with the opening 12 so that the catch lug isalso aligned with the recess 13. The forward trigger portion 5 of therear trigger and stock section has a front end portion provided with anedge 14 which coacts with the lever 1 in a manner described below. Thecatch lug 10 carries an extension 11 which is directly engaged by theforward portion 14 of the trigger mechanism 5.

When it is desired to separate the firearm into its separate sections,the connecting screw 15 is removed, and now the above sections can beseparated from each other. The displacement of the trigger mechanism 5with its guide ribs 4 rearwardly out of the guide ways formed for theribs 4 in the inner side surfaces of the receiver housing 2, displacesthe edge portion 14 of the trigger mechanism 5 rearwardly along theextension 11 of the lug 10 so that when the portion 14 of the triggermechanism is situated to the rear of the extension 11 the spring 6 canturn the lever'l from the position thereof shown in FIG. 3 into theposition thereof shown in FIG. 4. It will be noted that this lever 1 issimply rockably supported by the exterior side surface of the receiverhousing 2 in a suitable exterior recess thereof, this lever 1 beingprovided between its ends with a relatively sharp shoulder or edge whichrockably engages the exterior Side of the receiver housing 2, asindicated in FIG. 3. Thus, when the parts or sections of the firearm aredisassembled the spring `6 can turn the lever 1 into the positionthereof shown in FIG. 4 where the catch lug 10 is situated within therecess 13, thus reliably holding the breech bolt mechanism 3 assembledwith the receiver housing 2. At this time the breech bolt mechanism 3can neither move within or fall out of the receiver housing 2.

When the sections of the firearm are again assembled the ribs 4 of thetrigger mechanism 5 are received in the guide grooves at the interior:of the receiver housing 2, and as the trigger mechanism 5 is shiftedforwardly its front end portion 14 engages the extension 11 to turn thelug 10 out of the recess 13, the entire lever 1 then being displacedback to the position shown in FIG. 3 in opposition to the force of thespring 6. Now the breech bolt mechanism 3 is free to move within thereceiver housing 2 and the operative condition of the rifle is restored.Of course, once the rear section has been shifted forwardly to itsoperative position with respect to the front section, the fasteningscrew 15 is returned to its fastening position holding the partstogether. Now the rifle is again ready for operation and the breech boltmechanism 3 can easily move within the receiver 2.

In the event that the parts have been disassembled as described aboveand it is desired to remove the breech bolt mechanism 3 from thereceiver housing 2, then it is only necessary for the operator to pressthe arm 8 from its position shown in FIG. 4 toward the exterior sidesurface of the receiver housing 2, so that now the operator can manuallyhold the lever 1 in the position thereof shown in FIG. 3, and thus thecatch lug 10 together with its extension 11 will again be displaced outof the recess 13 enabling the breech `bolt mechanism 3 at this time tobe disassembled from the receiver housing 2. Of course, the parts can bereassembled by the reverse of these operations.

It is thus apparent that with this exceedingly simple and inexpensiveconstruction the breech bolt mechanism will be reliably retained withinthe receiver housing even when the sections of the rie are disassembledfrom each other, while at the same time when the sections aredisassembled the operator can at any time remove and replace the breechbolt mechanism 3.

What is claimed is:

1. In a firearm having a forward barrel and receiver section and a reartrigger and stock section removably connected to each other so that saidsections can be separated from each other, said forward barrel andreceiver section having a rear receiver housing carrying a breech bolt`mechanism in its interior, and said receiver housing having an outerside wall formed with an opening passing therethrough and said breechbolt mechanism having a side surface portion formed with a recessaligned with said opening in said side wall of said receiver housing,said receiver housing pivotally carrying at its exterior a catch leverwhich has a catch lug extending into said opening in said side wall ofsaid receiver housing and which is adapted to pass through said openinginto said recess of said breech bolt mechanism for retaining the latterconnected with said receiver housing of said barrel and receiver sectionwhen the latter is separated from said trigger and stock section, springmeans acting on said lever lo urge said catch lug thereof into saidrecess of said breech bolt mechanism, and said trigger and stock sectionhaving a forward portion of its trigger assembly engaging said lever tomaintain the catch portion thereof out of said recess of said breechbolt mechanism when said trigger and stock section is connected withsaid barrel and receiver section, so that when the latter two sectionsare connected to each other said breech bolt mechanism is free to movein said receiver housing, said spring means automatically displacingsaid catch lug of said lever into said recess of said breech boltmechanism when the sections are disconnected from each other, so as tomaintain said breech bolt mechanism connected with said receiver housingwhen said sections are dissassembled from each other.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said lever has a manuallyengageable portion enabling said lever to be turned in oppositionV tosaid spring means when said sections are disconnected from each other toa position displacing said catch lug out of said recess of said breechbolt mechanism so that the latter can be disassembled from said receiverhousing when desired.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said catch lever is in theform of an elongated member rockably engaging an exterior side surfaceof said receiver housing and having a catch projection extending throughsaid opening of said receiver housing and aligned with said recess ofsaid breech bolt mechanism to form said catch lug, said spring meansbeing in the form of a leaf spring carried by said receiver housing atits exterior and engaging said rockable lever to urge said catch lugthereof inwardly toward said recess of said breech bolt mechanism, saidlever when positioned with its catch lug in said recess, having distantfrom said leaf spring an elongated manually engageable portionprojecting angularly from an exterior side surface of said receiverhousing so that the operator can press said elongated portion to turnsaid lug out of said recess, in opposition to said leaf spring when itis desired to remove said breechb'olt mechanism when the sections aredisconnected from each other.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

